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The driver door trunk release button is not working.
The key fob unlocks it fine.
I was hoping for "that was stupid of me why didn't I think of the valet switch?" but it is getting a bit more involved.
I already did the following.
The valet switch in the glove box seems to be functioning.
The switching it on/off affects the power to the door button switch.
The driver door panel was removed (thanks to the DIY section) to access the trunk button switch.
The switch itself tested fine for continuity when pressing on it.
So...power is going to the door button.
And the glove box kill switch obviously has power running to it and is cutting power on/off to the door switch as it should.
I am in the middle of uncovering the trunk latch to investigate.
I think the solenoid mechanism is in the trunk lid?
Question I have is:
When the key fob button is pressed, where is this signal received and activates the trunk released?
Is the door button switch on a completely separate circuit that triggers the trunk release?
The trunk release is working via the key fob, so the only thing I can think of is the wiring or connection between the door button and the trunk release solenoid.
All wires and connections seem fine behind the door panel.
what happens when you short the two leads that go to the switch together?
this will isolate the switch from the wires running into the rest of the carb by mimicking pressing the switch under ideal conditions.
If the trunk opens with those two leads shorted, then you know its the switch or there is poor contact between the switch and the switch wires / connector.
technical reasoning:
sometimes switches test good with a cheap multimeter, but upon looking at them with an oscilloscope, we see that they are making poor contact and a cheap multimeter with poor sample rate is hiding that. This is why the nice Fluke multimeters cost so much! If the contact is very poor, and continues to do the up and down motions as seen in the figure below, it could mess up the debouncing circuitry that prevents accidental pushes and mitigates that messy transition between not pressed and pressed.
Last edited by thelastaspec; 09-17-2015 at 01:19 PM.
Recently I bought a better multimeter for testing a AC start capacitor.
But it's not a Fluke...Settled for an Ideal 61-340.
Have no idea how to use it for testing the switch.
I did not short the two wires for the door switch which I should have done earlier.
And I will do that...NOW.
Just took another voltage reading using the larger meter.
Getting 8.2 volts.
This does not seem right.
Is this too low to trigger the release?
Should I investigate the valet switch?
Your next best bet is to go to the DIY section and grab the car service manual. A test i would try is to see if that voltage at the door changes as you giggle the door harness or other wires. maybe its broken somewhere along that path?
maybe leave the two terminals shorted together and giggle the harnesses to see if you can find a spot where the trunk opens?
One of those tone tracing tools may also come in handy for finding wires behind walls.
Dear thelastaspec
Have to drop things for now and head out for boy's soccer practice.
Can't thank you enough for all the replies.
Leaving the door switch terminal wires shorted and checking along the harness is a very helpful suggestion.
So it does sound like the solenoid requires a good 12V to trigger.
Would less than full connection of wires to the valet switch cause voltage to drop?
Not sure if the valet switch can be pried out without disassembling the glove box and the rest of the stuff just to get behind the switch.
Just took another voltage reading using the larger meter.
Getting 8.2 volts.
This does not seem right.
Is this too low to trigger the release?
Should I investigate the valet switch?
That may be too low to trigger the latch.
A simple way to know for sure if the wire is good or not at door switch is Supply a good hot straight from the battery to the White wire at the door switch. By doing that you will know if there's a open cricuit in the wire.
The multiplex (key fob) "T" in between the door switch and the trunk latch. So That means the wire is good at the "T" to the trunk latch for sure.
So your problem appears to be a low voltage or a open wire from T to switch.
Low voltage could be the fuse(s) up stream. #12 passenger fuse box; under hood #41 & 54.
Thank you for T info and fuses and helping narrow my focus. Will dive back into it asap. Weak wire connection at valet switch could be a possible culprit in the current drop?
Thank you for T info and fuses and helping narrow my focus. Will dive back into it asap. Weak wire connection at valet switch could be a possible culprit in the current drop?
Yes if too low or too much resistance. Test at door as noted above and then test again if need at valet switch.
Valet switch... Supply hot to the white/green wire then hit the switch at door to open trunk.
Sorry I didn't report back sooner.
Will have to pick back up tomorrow first thing.
Running hot directly to the switches will be on the list.
Also like the suggestion of shorting the door switch wires and checking the harness.
Finally watched the BriansMobil1 video and for sure I need to get that tone generator toy!
And, yes, will first take a quick look at the fuses mentioned.
Checked the valet switch by pulling it out with wires attached.
Seems fine.
The wires are somehow locked into the switch and I am having a tough time removing them.
Want to test the voltage coming to the switch.
For some reason I am now getting 11.8 volts at the door button with the valet switch 'on'. Power is cut with it off.
I think I can now safely assume power to the valet switch and to the door button is fine.
Time to move on to downstream from the door button.
I am now officially 100% stumped...
I was wrong earlier in stating there is 11.xx volts at the door push button.
It's more like 10.5 or less.
Starts out reading around 10.7 and steadily drops.
With a cheapo multi-meter, I am getting only 8.5 as reported earlier.
At the valet switch, I am not getting anything for some reason.
I cannot figure out how to pull out the wires from the switch to get a good contact on the wires for testing the voltage.
They don't simply slide out.
Managed to expose a little of the metal on the connectors and for some reason I am not getting any voltage reading.
Not sure if this makes any sense if I am detecting voltage at the door button when the valet switch is 'on'.
I have yet to apply direct power from the battery to the door button switch to see if the trunk will release.
To fess up, I am not 100% clear on connecting the hot from the battery to the switch white wire.
"A simple way to know for sure if the wire is good or not at door switch is Supply a good hot straight from the battery to the White wire at the door switch. By doing that you will know if there's a open cricuit in the wire."
Will this test the wiring downstream from the door button?
Please tell me if this sounds right.
Disconnect the door push button switch.
Run hot to the white wire on the connector plug.
Ground the other wire to chassis?
At this point I am back to suspecting something upstream from the door push button until I can hotwire it to test stuff downstream.
Sorry to bother everybody with this.
For now I may have to throw in the towel and reinstall everything.
A simple way to know for sure if the wire is good or not at door switch is Supply a good hot straight from the battery to the White wire at the door switch. By doing that you will know if there's a open cricuit in the wire.
The multiplex (key fob) "T" in between the door switch and the trunk latch. So That means the wire is good at the "T" to the trunk latch for sure.
So your problem appears to be a low voltage or a open wire from T to switch.
Low voltage could be the fuse(s) up stream. #12 passenger fuse box; under hood #41 & 54.
^ yes hot only no ground need bc it's grounded at trunk latch.
So supply hot/power (tapping) as stated above and the trunk should open if wire loom is good.
Oh and remove the passenger fuse #12 so theres no power from battery. Just to isolate the circuit.
Now I see how a tone generator might be handy.
At the moment suspecting something goofy going on between valet switch and door button.
Will spend some time at the door wire bundles, hinge pass through, etc. with the push button wires shorted.
re - So supply hot/power (tapping) as stated above and the trunk should open if wire loom is good.
Oh and remove the passenger fuse #12 so theres no power from battery. Just to isolate the circuit.
------
Thank you!
I'll be treading lightly as I go.
Thank you for taking the time and your patience.
I sure hope by the time this is over - if ever - I will be a bit wiser to be able to pass it forward.
Will report back after 'supplying power' direct from the battery - carefully.
The white wire at the door push button must be the downstream wire to the trunk solenoid, so applying hot to that wire now makes sense to me.
Sorry to be dense here.
About fuse #12...the label says front wiper/washer and is rated 30 amps.
Do not see any other fuse labels with any hint of tied to the trunk release circuit.
Is it ok to run the hot to the white wire without pulling fuse #12?
Probably will not make a difference.
So...I found at another thread the wiring diagram for 'Lid Opener'.
It shows 'Under Hood Fuse/Relay Box' with #41 and #54.
And also 'Passenger Under-Dash Fuse/Relay Box.
I need to double check on the passenger side to see if I am missing something besides the box on the driver side.
And there must be another 'under hood fuse/relay box'.
'Multiplex control unit' is shown downstream from the door button.
The door button white wire has to travel through the door hinge bundle and continue to the solenoid...
I dealt with broken wires at the door hinge in other cars.
This is a 2000 TL so I guess it's possible wire could be broken there.
I would check each connector first for bad connection before looking for a severed wire. And Supply power at the connector (disconnected and power on down stream side only) to see where the connection is loss. However, do not power the fuse box/multiplex or module. Power wire only.
Start closes to trunk latch and work foreward at each connector.
Tip... Follow the wire by tracing the wire's color(s). See last wire diagram.
That is an amazing amount of detailed information and I can't thank you enough.
I appreciate your suggestions and especially starting from the back and moving toward the push button switch.
Hope to report back with news of progress.
I do not see another obvious fuse/relay box on the passenger side except something behind the right side foot well wall cover at the floor.
Still not seeing a 41 and 54 under the hood.
There are two small relay boxes, each with two relays.
But at this point no fuses are suspect as far I can tell.
01acls
Thank you for the fuse diagrams!
"Passenger's under-dash fuse/relay box" is where I am lost.
Is this another box separate from the one under the dash on the driver side?
Need to figure out how to remove the plastic trim (without breaking it) along the carpet on the right side to expose what appears to be a fuse box near the floor on the passenger side.
I see #12 is specific to the trunk release solenoid and multiplex control unit but if the trunk is opening fine with the key fob this takes me back to checking the connections/wiring between the door button and the multiplex control unit.
I am assuming the door button switch goes directly to the solenoid instead of through the multiplex control unit.
Diagram shows the solenoid receives only a white/red wire from the multiplex but I cannot find the multiplex control unit in the left side wiring diagram but it shows the trunk lid solenoid.
Is there a passenger side wiring diagram?
The car had to be put back to use while I figure out where the wiring runs from the door switch to the multiplex control unit.
Will continue staring at the left side diagram.
Thank you for the charts/diagram which will be very useful for other occasions.
Meant to also add the red/white from the multiplex joins the white from the door switch but then changes to red/white at a final connector before reaching the solenoid.
There is a black dot symbol just before the solenoid which must indicate a connector?
I am wondering if this last connector point is maybe where the white wire from the door button is losing contact to reach the solenoid.
Still not sure where the multiplex control unit is located after staring at the diagram.
Am I somewhat on course here?
If this last connector is somewhere inside the trunk or trunk lid lid that would be great.
Started pulling the trunk lid liner buttons but no doing a very good job at it, breaking several in the process.
Got careless and broke the tab on triangle black plastic trim for the rear driver's side mirror while accessing the door button.
Luckily it was only $6 from the Acura dealer.
Owners manual is your friend.
Yes Dots are some kind of connector.
Check the connection inside the quarter panel... Under the package tray/left hinge... Follow the wire.
Yes, thank you.
I already accessed the fuse panel in that illustration which is shown in the owner's manual.
Do not recall the fuse labeling chart on the cover indicating 'trunk release'.
Anyway, your chart is very helpful and thank you.
"Package tray/left hinge" - are you talking about the rear quarter panel in the trunk? Is this where I might also find the multiplex control unit?
Will check that soon.
Passenger multiplex is under left dash behind the kick panel.
At the risk of sounding dense, "passenger" has been confusing me. This apparently does not necessarily mean passenger side.
"Passenger multiplex" - is this the multiplex controller unit for the trunk release?
In the door wiring harness diagram, there are two multiplex control unit 'door connector' A and B which seems to be for the window switches and on/off switch for the rear window controls.
Does the "Passenger multiplex" control unit also handle the door window motors in addition to the trunk release solenoid?
If this control unit is behind the driver kick panel, the wiring testing between the door button release and multiplex may end up pointing to the door hinge point where the white wire from button to multiplex could be broken. At the least it will save me the trouble of exposing wires all along the driver side to the trunk.
From battery to the T there is no control unit. As in electronically controlling the trunk release. The wire is being Fused at the Passenger Multiplex, nothing more.
Same with Driver Multiplex... its just a convenient place to connect multiple wires from different locations. (Wire is passing through)
Your problem is between the battery and the T bc your remote opens the trunk. Sorry, I forgot that it did.
In essence from the battery to the T is one continous wire if powered and working correctly.
09-17-2015, 01:08 PM
